LEINSTER MHC SEMI-FINAL REPLAY Wexford 1-15 Dublin 2-11: REIGNING CHAMPIONS Dublin fell to a cracking Paul Morris goal six minutes from the end as Wexford emerged with a single-point victory from this thrilling ESB Leinster minor hurling championship semi-final replay at Wexford Park on Saturday evening.
With six minutes of the game remaining, Dublin had hauled themselves back into a three-point lead, 2-9 to 0-12, and seemed to have weathered the home side's second-half storm, but then Morris struck for the crucial goal that helped his side to a provincial showdown with Kilkenny.
When three Michael O'Hanlon points had hauled Wexford back into contention early in the second half, Dublin responded to the challenge with a 43rd-minute Ciarán Brennan goal to go back in front, 2-7 to 0-10. Dublin seemed to have survived the early Wexford second-half surge through some outstanding hurling.
Following Morris's breakthrough the sides went on to trade further points, a John Keogh point leaving the minimum, 1-14 to 2-10, separating the sides at the end of 60 minutes.
With the Dublin defence harshly penalised and Michael O'Hanlon given the opportunity to put two points between the sides, Dublin surged forward in the closing minute of additional time but a point from substitute Jamie Winters arrived too late to save them.
As in the drawn game, very little separated the sides through the opening 30 minutes as both enjoyed periods of supremacy.
Two O'Hanlon points, one a free, had Wexford leading 0-2 to 0-0 after just two minutes.
Dublin responded through a Kevin O'Loughlin pointed free, but a further O'Hanlon pointed free restored Wexford's two-point advantage after just 10 minutes.
Dublin through the promptings of O'Loughlin and Niall McMorrow gradually hauled themselves into the game, points from Liam Rush and Ciarán Brennan seeing the sides level 0-3 each at the end of the first quarter.
Dublin struck for the only first-half goal after 18 minutes, when Liam Rush - named in midfield but switched to full forward - took full advantage of a long ball into the goalmouth to fire home from close range.
That score helped Dublin lead 1-6 to 0-5 at the interval.
DUBLIN: M Schutte; B O'Carroll, D Kelly, S Timlin; M Quilty, C O'Farrell, D Curran; L Rush (1-1), C Gough; N McMorrow (0-3), J O'Callaghan, K O'Loughlin (0-3, three frees); C Brennan (1-1), M Coughlan, D Plunkett. Subs: J Winters (0-2)for Coughlan; S Bonfil for Curran; J Keogh (0-1)for Brennan.
WEXFORD: M Fannin; W Devereux, P Donnelly, S Murphy (0-1); C Clince, E Moore, J Leacy; H Kehoe, A Shore; S Tomkins (0-1), P Morris (1-3, three frees), J Gahan; D O'Keeffe, M O'Hanlon (0-9, seven frees), P Kelly. Subs: J Kelly for P Kelly; B Nolan for O'Keeffe; L Óg McGovern (0-1)for Kehoe.
Referee: C Groome(Offaly).
